commute

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "commute" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the act of traveling between two regularly visited locations, such as one's home and place of work. For example: "I have to make a long commute to work every day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Travel

Urban Planning

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And maybe this is what keeps things fresh when facing the mundanity of everyday life and the daily commute.

The Guardian

"Silicon Valley is only an hour away, so a lot of that hacker culture winds up in Sacramento, because it's cheaper to live there, and you can commute back and forth," Bannon says of the attraction of the darknet for the city's musicians.

The Guardian - Music

It had to be the shortest commute in London.

The Guardian

Perfect for the commute, and to pick up throughout the day.

The Guardian

It's a kind of elasticated commute, but instead of a walkers' B&B I went home each night.

The Guardian - Travel

More importantly, it will allow residents of these towns to commute into Edinburgh, where they can hold on to jobs without facing the soaring costs of house purchase or rents in the city.

The Guardian

When justifying a longer or more expensive commute, workers will generally seek higher wages in order to compensate for their loss of leisure time.

The Guardian

I call it "Guess how many houses this panellist owns?" The appearances by MPs spike the figures, of course, because they are never knowingly underhoused: the fallen Maria Miller needed us to pay for a home in Wimbledon so that she wouldn't face the horror of a daily commute from Basingstoke (52 minutes from Paddington).

The Guardian - Opinion

By July 2009, the Interior Ministry had increased security at all checkpoints across the Tigris river into Baghdad, making a commute at any time of day even more insufferable than normal.

The Guardian

Latham argues that the college is meeting a demand from working people to learn flexibly (classes are held in the evenings and on Saturdays as well as during the day, and there are four starting points during the year), and it has certainly grown quickly: it now has 1,158 full-time equivalent students, many of whom commute from London.

The Guardian

"When my first marriage broke up my secretary who lived in Surrey suggested I lived down there because it would be an easier commute for her.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing commuting, consider specifying the mode of transportation (e.g., "bus commute", "bike commute") for greater clarity and context.

Common error

Avoid using "commute" interchangeably with general travel. "Commute" specifically refers to the regular journey between home and workplace or school, not occasional trips or vacations.

Linguistic Context

The word "commute" functions as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it refers to the regular journey to and from work or school. As a verb, it describes the act of making that journey. Ludwig AI indicates that it's a correct word.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "commute" is widely used as both a noun and a verb to describe the regular journey between home and work or school. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and common in various contexts, particularly in news, business, and urban planning. While "commute" is versatile, it's essential to distinguish it from general "travel". Use it to describe travel between your home and school.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

daily travel to work

Replaces the single word with a descriptive phrase, emphasizing the regularity and purpose of the travel.

travel back and forth to work

Highlights the round-trip aspect of commuting, emphasizing the movement in both directions.

journey to and from work

Uses a more formal term, "journey", to describe the commute.

travel to workplace

Shortens the phrase, focusing solely on the act of traveling to the workplace.

regular trip to the office

Specifies "office" as the destination, and uses "trip" instead of commute.

exchange a sentence

Focuses on the commutation of a sentence, which is a legal context.

reduce a prison sentence

Focuses on the commutation of a sentence, which is a legal context.

travel regularly

This describes just the action of traveling but not necessarily the reason why.

substitute penalties

Focuses on substituting a penalty, which is related to the legal context of commuting sentences.

the daily grind

A more figurative expression emphasizing the routine and often tedious nature of commuting.

FAQs

How can I use "commute" in a sentence?

You can use "commute" as a noun, such as "My "commute" takes an hour", or as a verb, such as "I "commute" to work by train".

What are some alternatives to saying "commute"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "travel to work", "daily travel", or "journey to work".

Is it correct to say "I am commuting"?

Yes, "I am commuting" is grammatically correct. It's the present continuous tense of the verb ""commute"", indicating that you are currently in the process of traveling to or from work.

What's the difference between "commute" and "travel"?

"Commute" refers specifically to the regular journey between home and workplace or school. "Travel" is a broader term that encompasses any kind of journey, whether regular or not.